Hoosiers Lose Tough Battle to No. 12 Nebraska

Houston, Texas--The Indiana softball team lost a hard fought, extra inning game to No. 12 Nebraska, 5-4, in the final game of the Crowne Plaza Classic in Houston, Texas. The Hoosiers move to 4-6 on the season while Nebraska improved to 6-4.

Sophomore Megan Roark had an impressive outing in relief for Indiana, pitching five innings with four strikeouts and no earned runs.

Offensively, Indiana shined, out-hitting Nebraska 8-6. Senior Karly McCormack was 3-4 with a homerun, double and two RBI. Senior Abby Stark was 1-3 with a double and a run scored.

The Cornhuskers got on the board first when Anne Steffan was hit by a pitch and scored on a base hit by Nicole Trimbili. Nebraska increased its lead to 3-0 in the second inning on a homerun by Jamie Waldecker followed by a single by Steffan that scored Kier who had been hit by pitcher earlier in the inning.

Indiana got on the board in the third inning when Stark slammed a double to center and scored on an RBI single by junior Ashley Griffiths. McCormack came to the plate and slammed a two-run homerun to right centerfield, tying the game at 3-3.

Nebraska answered back and took the 4-3 lead when Kim Tacha hit a double and scored Trimbili from second.

It was Indiana's turn to tie the game in the top of the sixth when McCormack doubled down the leftfield line. After catcher Tory Yamaguchi walked, freshman Kim Richards reached on a fielders choice and McCormack scored, tying the game.

Roark walked the first batter in the seventh and then got the Cornhuskers out 1-2-3 to send the game into extra innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, Nebraska started with Kier on second and Lawhorn grounded out to second, advancing Kier to third. Devin Porter then came to the plate and executed a perfect suicide bunt that resulted in a bang-bang play at the plate. Keir was safe and Nebraska won the game 5-4.

The Hoosiers are back in action next week, Feb. 28-29, when they travel to the Southern Illinois Classic to face Indiana State, Harvard and Southern Illinois.